Unfair allotment of stalls at Rivers’ Eke Oyigbo market

SIR: Traders in Oyigbo market in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State have been relocated to a new two-storey building plaza built by the local government. Before the relocation exercise, traders were jubilating that their age-long dream of leaving their old haphazardly built dwarf stalls that did not give enough room for display of their wares for a more spacious accommodation has come true.

Unfortunately their joy may have been short lived as most of the traders, especially the not too buoyant ones that had earlier paid for the new stalls were skipped in the exercise. These unlucky traders are now in a fix as they cannot go back to their old stalls nor take up the new ones they had already paid for.

Indeed, most of the stalls were relocated to other individuals who are neither traders nor have any business to do with trading as they are mostly civil servants.

The question now is, was there no proper documentation by the local government as regards return of ownership to the bona fide traders? Under normal circumstances, names, passport sized photographs and other requirements of the traders ought to have been taken by the department in charge of the exercise in order to make sure that the allotment did not shift to wrong hands.

This unfair treatment to these traders, if not reversed would definitely render their lives hopeless as their only means of livelihood has been completely halted. Against this backdrop, I earnestly call on the Oyigbo local government chairman, Honorable Uche Nweke to intervene in this crucial matter by reviewing the allotment process in order to give the displaced traders value for their money and a sense of belonging.

Allotting stalls to civil servants who are non-traders is very unfair and not in consonance with justice, equity and good conscience. Please come to their rescue for the Almighty God will never hold those responsible for this heinous act guiltless